1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat-dissipating fin unit, more particularly to a unitary heat-dissipating fin strip unit with a relatively high heat-dissipating efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional heat dissipating device 6 that includes a base plate 61 having a bottom surface that contacts and that is in thermal communication with a heat-generating source (not shown), a plurality of fin posts 62, each adjacent pair of which are spaced apart from each other and are provided on the base plate 61, and a heat-dissipating fan 63 provided on the fin posts 62 for blowing air toward or drawing air from the fin posts 62. FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional heat dissipating device 7 that includes a base plate 71, a plurality of fin plates 72 provided on the base plate 71, and a fan 73 provided on the fin plates 72. Each of the fin plates 72 is formed with a plurality of holes 721 for increasing flow paths of air among the fin plates 72.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, due to the factors of material, size and thickness of the fin posts 62 of the conventional heat dissipating device 6, a large amount of heat (indicated by dotted areas in FIG. 3) accumulates easily in the interior of each fin post 62, and due to insufficient surface area for dissipating heat, the heat-dissipating effect is limited. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, since the fin plates 72 of the conventional heat dissipating device 7 are in plate form, heat is dissipated primarily from the upper portion of each fin plate 72, which is nearer to the fan 73, such that a large amount of heat accumulates easily in the lower portion of each fin plate 72. Furthermore, the fin posts 62 (see FIG. 1) and fin plates 72 used in the abovementioned heat dissipating devices 6, 7 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) are rigid and cannot be deformed for fitting heat-generating sources with various shapes and sizes.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a unitary heat-dissipating fin strip unit with a relatively high heat-dissipating efficiency.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a heat dissipating device comprises:
a base plate adapted to contact and to be in thermal communication with a heat-generating source; and
a unitary heat-dissipating fin strip unit mounted fixedly on and in thermal communication with the base plate, the fin strip unit including
a row of straight strip portions arranged along a first direction, each adjacent pair of the straight strip portions being spaced apart from each other so as to define a heat-dissipating space therebetween, and
a plurality of bridging units disposed respectively within the heat-dissipating spaces, each of the bridging units including a plurality of pressed and staggered first and second U-shaped strip portions, each of which has two ends that are connected respectively to corresponding ones of the straight strip portions, the first U-shaped strip portions of each of the bridging units being disposed on one side of the corresponding ones of the straight strip portions and being arranged in a row along a second direction, which is transverse to the first direction relative to the straight strip portions, the second U-shaped strip portions of each of the bridging units being disposed on the opposite side of the corresponding ones of the straight strip portions and being arranged in a row along the second direction.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a unitary heat-dissipating fin strip unit is adapted for use in a heat dissipating device that includes a base plate. The fin strip unit comprises:
a series of straight strip portions arranged along a first direction, each adjacent pair of the straight strip portions being spaced apart from each other so as to define a heat-dissipating space therebetween; and
a plurality of bridging units disposed respectively within the heat-dissipating spaces, each of the bridging units including a plurality of pressed and staggered first and second U-shaped strip portions, each of which has two ends that are connected respectively to corresponding ones of the straight strip portions, the first U-shaped strip portions of each of the bridging units being disposed on one side of the corresponding ones of the straight strip portions and being arranged in a row along a second direction, which is transverse to the first direction relative to the straight strip portions, the second U-shaped strip portions of each of the bridging units being disposed on the opposite side of the corresponding ones of the straight strip portions and being arranged in a row along the second direction, assembly of the straight strip portions and the first and second U-shaped strip portions being adapted to be disposed fixedly on and to be in thermal communication with the base plate.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a unitary heat-dissipating fin strip unit is adapted to be disposed around and to be in thermal communication with a heat-generating source. The fin strip unit comprises:
a series of straight strip portions adapted to be arranged along a circumferential direction relative to the heat-generating source, each adjacent pair of the straight strip portions being spaced apart from each other so as to define a heat-dissipating space therebetween; and
a plurality of bridging units disposed respectively within the heat-dissipating spaces, each of the bridging units including a plurality of pressed and staggered first and second U-shaped strip portions, each of which has two ends that are connected respectively to corresponding ones of the straight strip portions, the first U-shaped strip portions of each of the bridging units being disposed on one side of the corresponding ones of the straight strip portions and being arranged in series along a longitudinal direction relative to the straight strip portions, the second U-shaped strip portions of each of the bridging units being disposed on the opposite side of the corresponding ones of the straight strip portions and being arranged in a series along the longitudinal direction relative to the straight strip portions.